1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a technique for identifying image data selected as a print target when print processing is resumed after the print processing is once suspended.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such a technique is known that image data is replicated to hold the image data in order to resume print processing without requiring a user to reselect the image data in a case where the print processing of the image data is suspended and the image data as a print job is deleted. In other words, when the print processing is suspended according to an occurrence of an error while the image data is subjected to the print processing and a power is turned off, the image data within a random access memory (RAM) that is processed at a time of the occurrence of the error is erased, thus resulting in a requirement to cause the user to reselect the image data. Therefore, in a technique discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 11-041385, image data as a print target to be retained in a RAM is caused to be stored also in an external storage device and, when the power is turned ON, the image data is downloaded from the external storage device to resume the print processing. Accordingly, a step for reselecting the image data by the user can be omitted.
However, the replication processing of the image data requires a capacity for storing the thus replicated image data as well as the replication processing of the image data itself is a heavy load. Therefore, an apparatus having a relatively lower processing capacity, such as a portable terminal, requires more time for performing the replication processing of the image data, thus resulting in lower usability.
Further, such an apparatus is known that a predetermined piece of image data designated from a plurality of pieces of image data totally controlled by an operating system is temporarily received by an application from the operating system to load the image data into the RAM in order to execute print processing of the image data. Some of such apparatuses include no unit for identifying image data, e.g., a path or image identification data (ID). In a case where the print processing is suspended and the application is closed, the image data loaded into the RAM is discarded. Consequently, the selected image data cannot be easily identified when the print processing is resumed upon a restart of the application. Namely, it is difficult to restore a selected condition of the image data to a previous state in which the print processing is not suspended.